The Sun. — London, England, 1808-12-03 00:00:00

its way, crusiting all the pretension; and all the ;lopes Ot their iniquity. " The Jouta being established, its attention was at oli.e turned to the discharge of its duties. To drive the enemy beyond the Pyrenees, and compel him to deliver up the august person of our King, klnd those of his brother and uncle, recognizing at the same time our liberty and incllpendence, was the first duty which the Junta conceived the nation had imposed upon it. Much of this it found already effeEted, at the period of its establishment ; the pub lic enthusii.ism was kindled ; armies were formed, composed almost wholly of fresh troops ; important viaories were gained ; the enemy was driven to the frontiers ; the opinion in favour of his military skill destroyed; and the laurels which adorned those con querors of Europe, transferred to the brows of our warriors. " This had already been done, and was what might be expeaed from the impulse of the first mo• ment ; but having effeEted all that could be produced by impetuosity and valour, it is now necessary to avail ourselves of the means prescribed by prudence and constancy ; for what we have yet to attain, Spaniards, we must repeat i; again and again, is an arduous un dertaking, and ought to call into exercise all your enthusiasm and all your virtue. " You will be convinced of this when von turn your attention to the internal anu external situation of public affairs, at the time when the Junta began to exercise their funaion. Our armies full of ardour, and eager to march to victory, but naked - and unprovided with every thing: beyond, the remains of the French armies awaiting reinforcements on the Banks of the Ebro, ravaging Upper Castile, the Ri oja, and the Provinces of Biscay ; occupying Pam peluna and Barcelona, with their fortresses ; masters of the castle of St. Ferdinand, and ruling over almost the whole of Navarre and Catalonia ; the despot of France, restless on his throne, deceiving the slaves who obey him, by the grossest impostures, and striv ing to lull to inactivity all the other States, in order to discharge on us alone the enormous weight of his military force ; the Powers of the Continent, in fine, oppressed or insulted by France, expe&ing with anxiety the issue of this first struggle, desiring to declare against the common enemy of all, but proceeding with the timid circumspection which their past misfortunes counsel. " It is evident that the sole asylum which remains for the preservation of their independence, is a ge neral confederacy—a confederacy which will assured ly take place at last, for interest persuades and ne cessity prescribes it. Which is the State which can hold relations of confidence with l3uonaparte? Who can give credit to his words and promises, or trust to his loyalty and good faith ? The fate of Spain will serve as a lesson and a warning, her resolution as an example, her viaories as an incentive ; and the re probate who has trampled under foot the principles of equity, and the sanaity of good faith, is placed himself in the hard necessity of having more power than all of them, or of being buried under the mountains raised by his frenzy. " The security and certainty of this league, so necessary and just, are to be determined by our previous exertions, and the prudence of our conduct. When we shall have raised a mass of military force as terrible for its quantity as for its preparation— when we shall hold in our hands all the means of profit tin by success, or remedying a reverse—when the sound judgment and integrity which distinguish . the Spanish people, among all others, will manifest themselves in the regulation of all our proceedings and pretensions : then all Europe, secure of triumphing, will unite itself to us, and avenge at once its injuries and ours. Then Spain will enjoy the glory of hav ing saved the Powers of the Continent, and reposing in the mederaiion and rectitude of her desires, and in the strength of her situation, she will be, and She will be recognized as, the loyal confederate of all, but neither the slave nor the tyrant of any. " Let us then now employ all the means we pos sess, as it we had to sustain alone the whole force of France. For this purpose, the Junta has believed that it is necessary to maintain under arms 550,000 effedive men, the 50,000,t0 be cavalry ; an enor mous mass of strength, and disproporticnate it may be confessed to our present sttuation and our an tient wants, but by no means unsuited to the pre bent occasion. The three armies which are to oc cupy the frontier, and the bodies of reserve which are to support their ope'rations, and supply their wants, w:11 easily absorb the designated number. And what are they or the sacrifices which necessity requires, compared ..3.111) the enterprize we have pro posed to ourseives, and the enthusiasm which ani mates us Spaniards, the power of our adversary is colossal, his ambition is still greater than hi; power, and his existence is incompatible with our tri erty. Judge of his exertions by the barbarity of his cha raaer, and the extremity of his danger ; but these are the exertions of a tyrant, and w ill be confound ed, opposed to the valour of a great and free people, who have resolved upon no other termination to their confid than to conquer or die. • " Considering the magnitude and importance of this first objea, the Junta, turned its attention to the vest means necessary to attain it. The negled of the last government, (if that may be called govern ment which %%as one continued and in ustrous dila pidation) had exhausted all the sources of prosperity, bad obstructed the canals which brooght life and foo.i to all the members of the state, dissipating the treasures, disorganising the public force, and con suming the resources. "The Junta has already announced to the public, the great savings which result ftom the suppression of the expeoces of the Royal Household, the enor mous sums w hich had been devoured by the greedy and insatiable avarice of the Favourite, the produd of his great possessions, and that of the estates of those unworthy Spaniards who fled with the t) rant. We may add to these the profit which will accrue to the State from a free navigation and commerce, and from the communication already opened with Ame rica. Principally we rely on a well-arranged Admi nistration of the public revenue, and regularly dis tributed contributions, to the reform and manage ment of which the Junta will directly apply its at tention. We may add to these means, the succours which are now given w hit so generous a hand, and will be hereafter granted us by the English nation. But it is incumbent on us that these succours which have been so opportunely given, and so gratefully re ceived, and the etretts of hich have been so bene ficial, should be hereafter recognized and recorr k , penceo with the reciprocity and decorum #ihich become a great and powerful natio!). Tlie Sp.etish Monarchy ought not, in this respea, to be placed in a state of inequality and dependence upon its Allies. The produce of these means will certainly be great, hut at the same time it will he slow, and for that reason insufficient for the urgent necessities of the State. Are they sufficient to furnish for a time the ordinary supplies, discharge the immense debt which will be incurred, and maintain the formidable army which is to be kept on foot ? But the Junta will, in case the manifold events and the force of circumstances should exhaust the Treasury, have re course at once to the nation, with the confidence which its ardent patriotism ought to inspire, and the necessity and notoriety of the sacrifice. For evils so extraordinary as the present, remedies as extraordi nary must be applied ; and as the Government judges it to be one of its obligations to give an exact account to the nation of the application of the resources and funds which it is about to administer, it has no fear that its demands will be disregarded through distrust, or be detested as arbitrary. " Thus much with respeft to the defence of the kingdom, and the means of effecting it, the most urgent concern and the first in the order of time which the Junta has under its care. But, Spaniards! there ate others as necessary and primary as that, without attending to which, the Junta would fulfil but half its duties, and which is the great reward of your enthusiasm and sacrifices. Political indepeu deuce is nothing without felicity and interior secu rity. Turn your eyes to the time when oppressed and degraded, ignorant of your own strength, and finding no asylum against your evil►, either in the iuctitutions or in the laws, you held foreign domi nion less odious than the wasting tyranny which in ternally consumed you. The dominion of a will al ways capricious, and for the greater part unjust, has for your calamity lasted long enough in Spain : your patience, your love of order, and your generous loyalty, have been long enough abused : it is time that the voice of the law only should begin to com mand, founded on general utility. This was the desire of our good and unfortunate Monarch ; this was the path he pointed out, even during the unjust captivity to which a perfidious traitor reduced hitn. Country, Spaniards ought not to be a vague and a vain name to you : it ought to import in your ears and in your heart the sane - Wary of the laws and cus toms, the theatre for talents, and the reward of virtue. " Yes, Spaniards, the great day is drawing near, when, according to the uniform desires of our be loved King, and of his loyal people. the monarchy will be established on solid and durable bases. You will then possess fundamental laws, which will be beneficial, friends of order, restrictive of arbitrary power ; and these being re-established, and your genuine rights being assured, you will rejoice to be hold a monument worthy of you, and of the Mo narch who is to watch over the preservation of it, blessing, amid so many calamities, the share which the people will have had in its ereetion. The Junta, which holds in its hand the supreme dirthion of the national forces, in order, by all means, to as sure its defence, felicity, and glory ; the Junta, which has already publicly acknowledged the great influence which a nation ought to have in the Go vernment, which alone, and without any assistance, has done every thing in the name of the King and for his cause ; the Junta solemnly promises to you, that you shall possess that countr y which you have invoked with so much enthusiasm, amid defended, or lather conquered, with so much valour. " Until the no..taly operations, slow at first, in order better to secure a happy resulr, shall furnish the opportunity and repose nece,ary for the grand and solemn re-union wnich it announces to you ; the Government will take care privately to thseuas and examine the projects of reform, and the institutions which ought to he presented for the national sanc tion. Without insiruttion, knowledge, or data, the majestic work of legislation is the result of a blind and unstable will, and as such, exp,,sed to error, in consistency, and contempt. Wise Spaniards yeti who, devoted to the invc:-tigation of the social prin ciples, unite the love o: - huinimity to the love of country, and instruction with zeal : this concern is yours, the happy execu ion of which is su necessary. The Junia, instead of rejecting your Council, desires and seeks it. The knowledge and illustration of our ancient constitutional laws ; charges, which, in their re-establishment, they ought to undergo from the difference of circumstances; reforms which are to be made in r he civil, criminal, and commercial codes; projects to meliorate public education, which, among us, is so greatly in decline; a system of regulated economy, for the better distribution and collection of the national revenue; all these claim your atten tion, and form a vast series of problems and objects of meditation, in which you may manifest your ta lents and your acquirements. The Junta will form from among you different Committees, each entrust • ed with a particular department, to whom are to be freely addressed all writings on matters of Govern ment and Administration, in which may be discussed the different objects which claim the general atten-. lion ; so that each contributing by his exertions to give a just and enlightened direction to the public opinion, they may enable the nation to establish so- (idly and tranquilly its internal felicity. " The Spanish Revolution w ill thus be distin guished by characteristic features, altogether the re verse of those which were seen' in the French Revo lution•. That began in the wretched internal in trigues of courtiers ; ours, in the necessity Of repel ling an unjust and powerful aggressor : in that, there were as many opinion's concerning the forms of Go vernment, as there were factions, or rather persons; in ours, there is but ohe' opinion,. one general desire; an hereditary Monarchy, and Ferdinand VII. on the Throne. The French, shedding torrents of blood during their', anarchy., proclaimed no one principle which they did not afterwards reject ; they made no law which they did not violate, and at last they ,sub . mitted to - h barbarous despotism. The Spaniards, who, on account of the perfidious inva,ion of the French, found themselves without a Government, And without communication with each other, have not ,shown themselves terrible or bloody, except to wards their enemies, and well know how to meliorate ! their institutions, and consolidate their liberty, with j out overthrowing the State. " 0 Spaniards ! how beautiful a perspective of .1, glory and felicity we behold before is, if we know how to profit by the singular epoch ; it we fulfil the high purposes which Providence points :. out to us I Instead of being objects of compassion and eon.. tempt, as we have hitherto been, we are about to become the envy and admiration of the world. The delicious climate we enjoy, the fertile soil whence we draw our subsistance, our geographical position, the riches which nature has lavished upon us, and the noble and generous character with which she endowed us, will not be wasted gifts in the hands of a vile and enslaved people. " Already the Spanish name is pronounced with respect in Europe, whose nations, which lie tramp led upon by the French, hang all their hopes upon our fortune : even the very slaves of the tyrant, groaning under his intolerable yoke, form vows for us. Let us be constant, and we shall gather the fruit which vi&ory will produce laws of reli gion satisfied ; our Monarch either restored to the throne, or avenged ; the fundamental laws of the Monarchy restored and consecrated, in a manner solemn, and consonant with civil liberty; the foun tains of public prosperity pouring ben efits sponta neously, and without impediment ; our relations with our colonies drawn more closely, and become more fraternal, and consequently more useful ; in fine, activity, industry, talents, and virtue stimu lated and rewarded :—to such a degree of splendour and fortune we shall raise our country, if we our selves correspond with the magnificent circumstances which surround us. " These are the views, and this is the plan which the Junta proposed to itself from the moment of its installation. in order to fulfil the two primary and essential objects of iti institu tion. Its Members charged with an authority 50 great, and making themselves responsible by entertaining hopes 50 flattering, do not fail to see the difficulties they have to conquer, in order to realise them, the enormity of the weight which hangs over them, nor the dangers to which they are exposed ; but they will think the fatigues, and the devotion of their persons to the service of the country, well paid, if they succeed in inspiring Spa niards with that confidence, without which the public good cannot be secured, and which the Junta dare to affirm it merits, from the rectitude of its principles and the purity of its intentions. " Arcriuez, Uct. 1808. (Decreed by the same Supreme Junta, the lOth of November.) _ _ _ " MARTIN DE GARAY, " Member and Secretary General." Comet A, Nov. 26.—8 y letters received in the course of yesterday, we learn that, with commend able atlivity and address, the Lieutenant Colonel Dun Enrique Canseco has preserved the artillery of the army of Estreinadura ; and in like manner that the Lieutenant Colonel Don Miguel Valledor has condueted to Leon the artillery and ammunition from Reinosa. Considering the activity and address ne cessary to those particular services, we cannot but highly praise these worthy Officers, and in general all those of the royal corps of artillery, who conduct themselves so gallantly, without meaning by this eulogium to deprive the other officers and soldiers of the army of the praise 10 justly due to them. The retreat of our army to Leon has deranged all the plans of the enemy, who, the moment they shall know of our junction w iii the English army, and the reinforcements we shall scud with the ut most dispatch, must abandon all the country he oc cupies, unless he would be cut oil, and obliged to surrender. This point of re-union was the only one we ought to have chosen in case the enemy penetrate by Burgos, as vie have not cavalry to enable us to engage in the plains. But whet the two armies have joined, we shall have cavalry, and that very re spectable. The orgenizati o ll and re-union will he etfeeted without loss of mite, and clearing the plains, we will march immediately to dislodge them from all the country they occupy, from that to Bidasoa.— Let us then have courage and constancy, and make every exertion that the reinforcements may nut be delayed an instant. AIZANJUEZ, Nov. 17.--Lieutenant General Don Joacquim Blake has retreated from Espenosa, under date of the 1 oth instant. Finding it impossible to maintain himself in Biscay, on account of the scar city of provisions, he resolved to move to the above place and its environs, in order to procure provisions, and allow his troops some moments of repose. When he made the necessary preparations to carry that re solution into cited, the enemy appeared before Val. tnaseda, 14 or 15,000 strong, which place was ce cupied by the first and second division and the As turi in troops. Several detachments were sent to skirmish with the enemy, while the main body was falling back to Nava. The third division, posted at Orrantia, was at the same time attacke,: by a nu merous French corps, which, no doubt, intended to occupy the road to Nava, and cut off the retreat of our troops ; but the enemy was defeated, and the third division joined the army in Nava, the whole of which filed off for Espenosa de los Monteros, covering the retreat of the North division, com manded by Brigadier General Count De S. Romana. General Blake also reports from Reinosa, under date of the ti th, that at nine in the morning his army was attacked by very superior forces, but our troops, both officers and men, maintained their position with the utmost gallantry until the tall of night, and the enemy was repulsed on all sides, but being considerably reiubirced by fresh troops, and availing himself of his vast superiority in number, he attacked again the following day General Blake's army. General Biake's army still fatigued by the glorious exertions of the preceding day, and making some impression on ow' left, the centre and right fell back to St. Andero, and took post in Beitiosa, where the whole army rallied, and the Marquis de la Romana assumed the command in Chief. TUDELA, Nov. 6.—Yesterday at three o'clock in the afnmoon his Excellency Don Joseph Palatbx and Major General Doyle met here, and proceeded to the house of Don Francisco de Palafox, where in the evening a meeting of Generals was held. The next morning they returned to Sara gossa. The physicians who made their escape from Pampetuua, state, that the French have there 5000 sick, and that from forty to forty-eir,ht die Ali travellers who come from Navarre confirm this intelligence, SARAGOSSA, Nov. 7.—The head-quarters of this 1 army were the third instant removed from Villa franca to Martoreil , a town situa►ed on the Banks of Llobugar.. Stine of our troops occuptedthe heights on the left bank of the river. A column of Provin i cial Grenadiers) w 4,11 from four to ski, pieces.,of can non, and two howitzers, the squadrons of th e li° Volunteers of Catalonia, and about 5000 MiV ele , ie d under the crders of General Laguna, have Marc' to take up a position on the banks of the river .13:1,t'5,1t one league East of Barcelona, by which movegnl. that town is closely hemthed in. i T l, h t e o c f o u n ri s i t i a si t l it u c s ar ‘ e vi C th f C a u rm r fia,italnfumluanlliiteios,n, and the Enore g ustillery, has procured us the pleasure of assis tin g 11 .: Arragonese with 8000 muskets, and 300,0 00 tridges ; we entertain no doubt, but that we shall t soon beable to commence offensive operations WO the vile rabble who defile our capital, d ~ The Supreme Junta of Government has publish e" an EdiEt, by which leave has beef given to Jesuits return to Spain. MADRID, Nov. i6.—Our Government ha s order ed to advance to the scene of adion, by Orc ed marches, all the troops which were on their morcd in the environs of Madrid. This day has p:ls'er 0 through, the regiment of the line of Jaen , io t' o u divisions, the strength of which exceeded p u ts men and they expedt considerable reinforceffien,, from the Kingdoms of Andalusia, Murcia, ao d lencia. .. e a Au Officer of the Walloon Guards has a rrl ' ' 6 from the Army of Catalonia ; and at the sam e ( “ ^- 5 , Couriers have passed from the Armies of Arg°,o-' Castile, and Navarre; they ail passed on to j uez, and nothing has transpired to the public' latest MADRID, Nov. 19.-The following ar e accounts which have been received from the TUDELA, Nov. 10.—The first division ) e ' h tL o r , day marched from hence to the environs of Cii'3"ool ra ; so that yesterday there were assembled 9 - 7 0 1 0 men at that point. The day before yesterdill two brothers, Ceas, set out for Madrid with t o remptory orders for all the troops.t hey shall Ine' t t o advance by forced marches. A Courier was s cut ; t o Don Francisco paiafox, who ; had pi-accede° Exea, and he returned hither yesterday. "-rh- el l, my have been reinforced in great numbers Oa ! tir side of LoJosa, ;Ind we expect to be attacked 011 left left flank, but we shall be ready to receive thell, ri for should they attack us, we shall have 34, 09 i Lit in our position, goo:I troops, and anxious to try u'ao strength with the eeemy. We have, besides, q cavalry. To-day Castanos set out from hencc Cultruenigo. We have placed 2000. men of o ,j visitmt to defend the bridge, in older to be pr e P ar e r: in- case they should attack us by Tudela. day Castanos stated that Napoleon was at lin.t, t° ;i)t buth s i h s : i i s u nutdoubtful, lie has determined tlia e f „'"tg days elapse,- before the enemy ce 3S al ' e r , :flake movements in that dii e;Aion. It is tioned that the said Nz yoleun, on the 4th' 0 %4 to I.run, but this is uncertain. Prol begun to arrive in abundanc e , w hi c h w e P i ' l " our rear. Should the enemy d e l a y th e i r aft3c,'it' otic shall in less than eight days, h ave colleete-' lo d troops and provisions, march to Cap : it:NV' " e ea united with the troops of our which enr. 20,000 men, v.:e shall attack them on shell lets 113 . : (10 such is, the plan ct the day, it new eireumstatiCe° not change it." " TUDSLA, NOr , t3..---On the night or r fL;- 1 t he' the division of Valencia marched hence command of Senor Ruca, by the bridge and ro:td. of Pampeluna, with all the train of artiller At the same time the army which was at 1 0: e r (having left this place some days) passed the ' 1 ,4 Arga, under the command of Senor CIO, also the other drvisinn of Sodas a, and dire‘nroi 3rl march so as to attack the enemy on the ;ot;°' and left of his posinuns Milagro and C.31 )-I. ,: 3 ese All the divisions were expected to arrive t t. t. , t lb° points by day break inn the t ti t . I t is said 01 ` - e Oo attack has commenced, and on our part WC 134% ; 0 01' 5 , do!..bt of its success. All is in trICAIOLI here. "„1( continue to arrive. in large parties. Of the re s : our operations .I, shall inform you in my next' " Heed-quarters, at Martordl, Nlv - r g. o ot " On the 7th in the evening, our General e ;o r. from hence, and at rived at the Linea. Habeld self in reiriness to attack the French h, three on the ottier side of the Llobregat. All the il l° , i c lt , ingot the Bth, in spite of the copious rain vill,e lasted the wl,wle of the dry; we heard here try , thunder of the artillery, and the tire of musgtiet- ( be Our troops had advanced as far as the range cannon of the fortress of Barcelona, witch "' o r, upon them. Another column could not advO ce s os the side of the plain of the river Basos, whic i) ) 4 flooded, so that our troops . 4 ere oblige-! to re, tij , ri ni . T night, fatigued and soaked with therain, t°4- the same positions at the river ut Llobrcgir . beer) " The enterprise of yesterday would Sot decisive if the weather had b een favooki.ter ' ll `'' (), the French were on all points abandonio4 sitions, and retiring within the protection of 1 ' • b oa lona ; and also if the column of General had been able to pass the river on the side I A: ,•6 Andre. Upon' the Whole, it is some glory advanced within the / each of the gate of St• nio, the battery of which fired several 0010 their our troops, who, in spite of the fatigue ut,cll,b, march, and passing the whole day without reltetoe meat, displayed their indefatigable valour tll c of the enemy." ROYAL DECREE. & ADDRESSED D\ THE SUPREME GOVERNING JVNT.- THE KINGDOM TO ALL THE COUNCILS. " Ever since Spain, in the year t 795, 1i4.14°:e, the arms which she had taken up against the „ e of voluttonary and Regicide Party in France , and o'aty closer ht•r relations with that PoWer, by the, tr ead of alliance of 170, she his been no less religiot,.oo observant of the stipulations of that alliance, °yip patient in the endurance of all the munberleo which have therefrom resulted. • Unuer all 11 ' 6 6 4 terations of the Fieuch Government which its name without -filtering the essence of its°l- 1* ttous and destructive system, as well tinder tbs 343 rectory as during the Consulate and Empire, ~F} d el has respected and recognized the rights of al'aid pendent nation ; arAl her alliance contributed .t°,;er giurYof France, wams in the expectation of ) coming, by so generous a proceeding, th e .1):e ac, less ambition of the French Cabinet, yola ri.val of the moment so much longed for by - nay at large, when a less turbulent G"`•° 11 0 1 - lb! should be established in that coUntry. N° l ' 6 ,,, t ero:; posterior events caused any chang e in the c— o f t'' ' ) nation , of Spain ; neither the lisurpati °lls c Emperor of the French in Europe, nor 1 . 11 1 rc ev neglat with which the interests of 61'3°-